Ask the Shelter: is microchipping painful?

Dozer is a 5-year-old English bulldog who was brought into the shelter by his owners. He’s a nice dog who seems to know some commands, but can be quite bull-headed, as the breed suggests. Someone with bulldog understanding would be great for Dozer. Because of his size, we’re looking for a home for him with children older than 10.(Photo: Submitted)

A: I actually think it hurts them worse if you don’t. Microchips have gotten so many animals home safely, I wish every pet owner would consider it. The injection of the chip is actually subcutaneous, which means directly under the skin. The chip doesn’t actually go into a bone or a muscle, so for many animals, the procedure is pretty painless. Even if the needle makes your baby flinch, it’ll be worth the overall sense of comfort knowing that if that dreadful day should, heaven forbid, arrive and your pup gets out of your yard, the microchip will make it that much easier for him to come home. Every time stray animals come into the shelter, we scan them to see if they’re chipped (vet’s offices have scanners, too). When we microchip an animal before they get adopted, we place the chip between their shoulder blades (again, only under the skin), so that’s the area we focus on when scanning to find one. However, I have heard that sometimes the chips can move down the side of the animal or even to the chest, so we make sure to do a thorough scan to find the technology. Don’t forget once you have it done to register the microchip in your name and update it if you move. The bottom line is if everyone had their animal microchipped, it would alleviate some stray animals at shelters and humane societies, so please consider it. We have a microchip clinic coming up on June 25 if you’re interested. Check it out online at cvas-pets.org and we hope to see you there!

Oscar is a very unique-looking black-and-white boy who is about a year old. He’s got a nice personality and seems to just love people. Oscar is quite inquisitive, as his photo suggests and he’s looking for a person who will love him forever. Could that be you?(Photo: Submitted)

Q: A friend of mine tried to tell me that animals can get breast cancer. That's not true is it?

A: It's absolutely true. Any animal who has mammary glands can get breast cancer. The instances in male pets are extremely rare – but not completely unheard of – because it’s related to estrogen levels in the body. Cancer in our pets is very similar to cancer in people in that it can spread to other parts of the body and early detection is incredibly helpful to stopping the spread. Healthy diet and exercise can prevent it and one of the best ways to keep breast cancer from infecting our pets is making sure they are spayed. Spaying greatly reduces the chances of breast cancer and has a host of other health benefits as well. (Plus it reduces unwanted pets and that sure does help animal shelters, humane societies and rescues.) As pet owners, it’s our responsibility to know our animals and their typical daily routine. Any signs of lethargy or loss of appetite or weight loss or changes in behavior should be addressed with your vet. Also, keep an eye out for any abnormalities in their body structure – such as odd growths – and tell your vet if you find them. The more we know about the diseases out there, the better equipped we are to detect problems and get our animals – and ourselves – the necessary medical help we need.

Ask the Shelter is a weekly feature aimed at pet education. If you have a question, contact Jennifer Vanderau, director of communications for the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter, at cvascomm@cvas-pets.org or 717-263-5791.